Terminal box.



- W. L. BLISS.

TERMINAL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED an 4, 1912.

1,191,060. Patented July 11, 19,16.

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ummmr W. L. BLISS.

TERMINAL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 4. 1912.

1,191,060. Patented July 11,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2' I W7 WA. I I11 m II ZIZUGViZE? W/(farmZBlz'ss ms nouns PKYIRI oanpncmnun. vumucmn. nv c4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM L. BLISS, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO U. S. LIGHT & HEAT CORPORATION, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, A

CORIORATION OF NEW YORK.

TERMINAL BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 11, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM L. Brass, a citizen of the United States, .residing at Niagara Falls, in the county of Niagara and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Terminal Boxes, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being .had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in terminal boxes.

Among the objects of my invention I aim to provide an improved terminal box which may be secured directly to a generator.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one form of my invention adapted particularly for use in connection with a car lighting generator having a reversible and removable brush mechanism, although not limited to such use.

The invention may, of course, assume other forms.

The views of the drawings are as follows:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the preferred form of terminal box, showing the same mounted directly on a car lighting generator. Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of the terminal box with the cover removed. Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 3'3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2. Fig. .5.is a perspective view of the insulating block which is mounted within the terminal box.

The junction box is shown as being secured directly to the casing or field frame of a car lighting generator 1, which is adapted to be suitably supported beyond the end of a car truck'in order that the armature may be driven by a belt connection from one of the car axles. The junction box comprises the receptacle 2 and the cover 3 removably secured thereto by means of studs 4. The receptacle 2 or main body portion is provided with side walls or flanges 5 completely surrounding the same and extending beyond the base of the receptacle and terminating in a curved outline adapted to fit against the circular exterior of the generator field frame, as clearly shown in Fig. 4:. The cover 3 is also provided with inclosing flanges or side walls 6 adapted to rest on the flange-s 5, which have a contour similar to the contour of the flanges 6. The cover is guided to its proper position, when it is being placed over the main receptacle, by means of projecting lugs -7 adapted to receive the studs 1. When the receptacle and cover are clamped together, as shown in Fig. 1, an outlet or opening is provided in the lower end of said boxby the meeting of the semi-cylindrical extensions 8 carried by the receptacle and the cover respectively.

The junction box is bolted to the generator field frame preferably by means of bolts 9 made of suitable conducting ma terial. 1 preferably employ four brass bolts for this purpose, each of which is adapted to be connected as part of a circuit, as hereinafter explained. Each bolt is incased in an insulating tube or lining 10, where it passes through the wall of the generator field frame 1, and is further insulated therefrom by the common insulating block or strip 11, having therein a plurality of recesses or slots 12 preferably equal in numher to the number of'bolts. The heads of the bolts are received in these slots and are thereby prevented from turning, as will be clearly apparent from aninspection of Fig. 3. The inner ends of the bolts pass through an insulatingblock 13 constructed preferably of hard wood which has been treated with a paraffin bath. A plurality of elongated rivets A are preferably run through the block to reinforce the same. A number of reinforcing plates 15, preferably equal in number to the number of bolts 9, are suitably secured to the inner face of the block 13. These plates have marked thereon suitable symbols to assist the operator in making the proper terminal connections. The block is provided with a lower ridge 16 having preferably four recesses 17 cut therein in line with the plates 15. The block also has recesses 18 in its rear face, which permit the insulating tubes 10 to project a safe distance beyond the outer surface of the generator field frame.

The terminal members 19 are carried by the bolts 9 and are clamped thereto in good conducting relation therewith. The small nuts 20 when tightened firmly clamp the main portion of the terminal box 1 against the generator field frame. The additional nuts 21, when tightened up, firmly clamp the terminal members 19 between the nuts 20 and 21. Each terminal member 19, of whichthere are preferably three, arranged as shown in Fig. 2, comprises preferably a brass tube having a flattened end clamped in the manner described. The cylindrical ends of these terminal members are received within the recesses 17 and are adapted to receive the ends of three conductors (not shown) which conductors pass through the opening formed by the extensions 8, and extend from the terminal box to some point on the "ar body adjacent the car truck.

As shown in Fig. 2, the left-ban d terminal member 19 is clamped in conducting relation with the plate marked -G. This indicates the negative generator terminal, or, in other words, the negative brushes on the commutator. A conducting strap 22 connects the left-hand bolts, as is shown clearly in Figs. 2 and 3. Accordingly, the circuit divides at this point, one branch of the circuit extending through the left-hand bolt 9, and another branch through the bolt 9 im mediately adjacent thereto.

Referring to Fig. 3: It will be seen that an additional conducting strap 23 is clamped beneath the head of the lefthand bolt, and is also clamped in firm engagement with the bifurcated terminal 2% of a flexible conductor 2-3 by means of a bolt 26 having a nut at the other end 27 provided with a handle or wrench 28, whereby the head of the bolt may be drawn inwardly to firmly clamp the parts mentioned. One end of the strap 23 is secured preferably by a small screw 29, the head of which is adapted to project into an opening 30 in the terminal 24, and thereby positively lock said terminal in position. It is apparent that when the handle 28 is revolved in a direction to loosen the nut 27 from the bolt 26 the terminal 24 may be readily lifted from the head of the screw and withdrawn entirely from beneath the head of the bolt 26.

The head of each bolt 9 is provided with a recess 31. This recess in the case of the three right hand bolts shown in Fig. 3, is intended for the reception of the bared end of the insulated conductors, which ends may be soldered therein. As indicated in Fig. 2, the F and +F conductors lead to the field windings and the {G conductor leads to the positive brushes. It will be seen as viewed in Fig. 3, that the opening 31 of the negative field terminal opens downwardly. The opening for the positive field terminal is upward and the opening of the positive brush terminal is to the right. This permits the conductors to be led off in the desired direction without unnecessary bending. The connection or disconnection of these conductors is facilitated by removing the encircling band or cover 32 which covers certain openings through which the brushes are readily accessible.

From the above description it will be seen that the terminal box is conveniently located on the outside of the generator frame in a position where it is readily accessible by simply removing the cover of said terminal box. The terminal connections are exposed to view, said connections being plainly marked in such a manner that an improper connection is very unlikely to occur.

I do not limit myself to the details shown and described, as various changes may be made therein and in the combinations there of without departing from the spirit of the invention.

hat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In combination, a terminal box, a support therefor, a plurality of bolts passing through one of the walls of said terminal box for securing said terminal box to said support, said bolts also serving as branch circuit conductors.

In combination, a receptacle. an insulating member within said receptacle, a plurality of terminals on said insulating memher, and a plurality of bolts serving as branch circuit conductors and to secure said receptacle to a support, said bolts passing through said insulating member and serving to clamp said terminals and to secure said receptacle to said support.

3. In combination, a generator provided with an inclosing easing, a terminal box for said generator, said box having terminal members passing through said generator casing and serving also to hold said box in position, generator conductors within said casing, and means for detachably connect-- ing said terminals and generator conductors within said casing, said means being operable from the outside of said generator casing.

t. In combination, a support, a terminal box attached to the front end of said sup port, conducting members extending from said box through said support, conductors on the rear of said support, and means for detachably connecting said conductors and conducting members, said means being oper able from the front of said support.

5. In combination, a terminal box, a generator field frame, a plurality of bolts for securing said box to said frame, said bolts being arranged with their heads within said field frame and having openings in said heads to receive conductors, said bolts serving also as branch circuit conductors leading from the outside to the inside of said generator field frame.

6. In combination, a generator provided. with a casing, a terminal box, a plurality of bolts for clamping said terminal box to said casing, said bolts also serving as branch circuit conductors.

7. A detachable terminal connector, comprising a clamping bolt passing through a support, a bifurcated conductor terminal adapted to straddle said ,bolt, a conducting element having an opening therein for said bolt, and a projection extending into an opening in said conductor terminal when the same is clamped between the head of said bolt and the head of said conducting element, and means operable from the side of said support opposite said terminal for causing said bolt to clamp the conductor terminal and conducting element together, thereby positively lockingthe parts against separation.

8. In combination, a terminal box, a generator field frame on which said box is adapted to be mounted, a strip of insulating material on the opposite side of saidgenerator field frame, and conducting bolts passing through said fieldframe and clamping said insulating material. and said terminal box against the wall of said generator field frame, whereby circuit connections may be established from conductors in said terminal box to conductors within the generator field frame, the heads of said conducting bolts fitting within recesses in said insulating material to lock said bolts against turning.

9. In a terminal box, a block of insulating material, said block being clamped against the base of said terminal box, a plurality of conducting plates mounted on the upper face of said block, and a circuit terminal clamped against each of said plates, said block having a ridge along one side thereof and a plurality of notches in said ridge, each of said circuit terminals being received within one of said notches.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM L. BLISS.

Witnesses WM. A. FURBAYNE, C. E. MEAD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

